Feeding your dog

We know that feeding advice can sometimes be confusing, so we’ve put together some extra help and info below. If you still have questions after reading, don’t worry, just complete our nutritional enquiry form or give us a call on 01522 778 001, we’d be happy to help.

Introducing a new Vitalin product

When feeding your dog Vitalin for the first time or when switching from one Vitalin product to another, it’s important that the change is made gradually to prevent any digestive upsets. We recommend that this is done over 10 days, where you slowly decrease the amount of old food and increase the amount of new food in the dog’s daily serving. The diagram opposite gives some more information on our suggested daily amounts.

Daily feeding guides

  • Quick note, feeding tables refer to the ideal weight for your dog’s breed. This is especially important when feeding one of our products as part of a weight loss plan.
  • Make sure that you get a precise weight for your dog and weigh out the exact amount of food as showm in the guidelines on pack.
  • Remember, you’ll need to adjust the feeding amounts if you’re feeding your dog any extra foods such as treats.
  • Your dog should finish their meal in around 5-10 minutes. After this time, remove the bowl and always give them fresh food at the next meal. If there’s any food left you’ll need to reduce the amount, this is a sign that you are feeding too much.

Vitalin Puppy

SizeAge (months)Weight (kg)Daily Amount (g)
Toy & Small1-3
3-6
6-9*		2-4
4-6
6+		30-190
35-200
35-200
Medium1-3
3-6
6-9
9-12*		4-7
7-11
11-16
16+		145-370
190-395
200-400
200-395
Large1-3
3-6
6-9
9-12*		9-16
16-23
23+		255-555
370-605
395-610
Giant1-3
3-6
6-9*		11-22
22-34
34+		380-800
555-900
605-955

*change to Vitalin Adult.

NOTE: This table is only intended as a guide and exact feeding amounts should be varied according to your puppy’s breed, sex, condition and activity levels.
  • When a puppy is 2-3 months of age you should feed them 4 meals, 4-6 months of age 2-3 meals, 6+ months gradually reduce to 2 meals a day by the time they are an adult, all meals should be spread throughout the day.
  • When introducing Vitalin into your puppy’s diet we advise that this is done gradually over a period of 10 days until it replaces all other food.
  • Don’t forget, fresh drinking water should always be available.

Vitalin Adult – Please check the specific product recipe pages for exact feeding guides

SizeWeight (kg)Daily Amount (g)
Toy & Small1-5
5-10		30-105
105-175
Medium10-15
15-20
20-25		175-240
240-295
295-350
Large25-35
35-45		350-450
450-545
Giant45+545+
NOTE: This table is intended as a guide only and exact feeding amounts should be varied according to your dog’s age, sex, breed, condition and activity levels.
  • Feeding amounts should be based on the ideal adult body weight for your dog.
  • Adult dogs should be fed twice per day.
  • When introducing Vitalin into your dog’s diet we advise that this is done gradually over a period of 10 days until it replaces all other food.
  • Fresh drinking water should always be available.

Your dog’s body condition

In order to help ensure that your dog maintains a healthy weight, UK Pet Food (previously known as the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association or PFMA) has developed a reference guide to body condition scoring. You should assess your dog’s body condition on a monthly basis and then adjust feeding amounts if necessary. Please keep in mind that if dogs are naturally lean or are long haired, this guide will not translate as easily.

Top tips

  • When introducing Vitalin into your dog’s diet we advise that this is done gradually over 10 days.
  • Vitalin can be fed dry, or moistened to a consistency that your dog prefers, using warm water and allowing to cool before feeding.
  • Fresh drinking water should always be available separately.
  • Treating with human foods should be avoided.
  • Feeding your dog from the dinner table is not advisable as this may encourage begging.
  • You should assess your dog’s body condition regularly to help ensure they stay healthy.
  • If you are concerned about your dog’s eating habits or weight then seek advice from your vet.